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The REAL Scary Truth about Black Cats

Have you heard the myth that black cats are unsafe in October, in part because witches may try to adopt them for rituals? We sure have. But guess what? Top ASPCA experts agree that it’s just not true.

At the ASPCA, we LOVE black kitties. (Some of our friendliest cats, like Marissa, are black—yet Marissa has waited more than nine months to find a family. What’s up with that?)

Aside from the most important reason to adopt black kitties—that they really need extra help finding homes—here are a few reasons to take home one or two:

Their fur won’t show on your little black dress.

You can tell your kids you adopted a mini panther.

Black cats go with everything.

In most cultures, black cats are a sign of good luck.

You already know black cats are awesome—you have one at home! If you’ve got a great black kitty, tell us about him or her in the comments. You just might persuade someone else to give these felines a little extra attention.

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We had a black cat for 16 years. He was a spooky looking black cat with yellow eyes and sometimes scared some who are not "cat people". But looks can be deceiving. He was a sweet cat who just waited for you to sit down so he could curl up on your lap. If you were to lie down he would lay on your chest and frequently reach up and touch your face with one paw. He was a sweet little guy who looked like a jungle cat. I would definitely not pass on a black cat if adopting.

We have 5 black cats, all adopted from local shelters. All are very special and they get along and co-exist with our Irish Wolf hound. I have always had black cats, they look kool and to me, they seem to be smarter then most cats. I highly recommend adopting a black cat or 2 from your local shelter.

Last Halloween my brother in-law found a stray black kitten in a mall parking lot. Seeing as it was halloween, he was worried what some people might do if they found this little black cat so he brought him home. A few weeks later he was the newest addition to our family. He is the most loving little cat and is best friends with our russian blue Vladimir. Whoever said black cats were bad luck on halloween couldn't be more wrong! We are in fact very lucky to have Zorro in our home.

Black cats are the best!! I lost my dear "Precious" 8/31/11 after 9 years of unconditional love by a stroke. I saved him from a horrible outside life of hiding in an old tire in the woods. Precious was my constant main man and I miss him so!!!
Black cats give so much love, please do not pass them by when looking for a new friend at the shelters.

We rescued our sweet baby, Jack when our Pit treed him in the backyard. He was soo tiny but very trusting and came down to my daughter without any trouble. We gave him a high shelf in the bathroom so he could look down on the dog (Quigley). As soon as Quigley relized he was part of the family all he wanted to do was play. Now they play togather, with Jack being the istigator and tell on each other when one is being naughty. Black Cats are awsome!! Wouldn't know we would do without him and "Q" would really be lonesome!

Black cats = all the colors of the rainbow. The two black cats I have had in my life have been the most affectionate and loving cats out of them all. Sleeping with their paw in my hand all night, the hugs, the kisses, the connection, their sense of adventure and actual comic timing- too many stories to tell. They are so beautiful and have such amazing personalities.

Except for a tiny white spot under his chin, my old friend Ben was entirely black. Truly a miniture panther in appearance, we adopted Ben from Animal Humane when he was almost a year old. It wasn't easy convincing our 6 year old to adopt a full grown cat rather than a cute little kitten, but his sweetness won all our hearts. Ben taught me to keep my cats indoors, safe from cars, humans, other animals and feline diseases. Ben suffered 2 incidents of cruel human-caused damage and yet remained trusting, loving, friendly and engaged. He consistently demonstrated loyalty and gentleness. When he looked at me, the Love in his eyes was undeniable.

Our cat, Clyde, is solid black and is the coolest cat ever! He is about 10 years old now and was given to us by a freind who's barn cat had a litter. He is huge! He has long fluffy hair and is just the biggest most lovable baby ever. He likes to go outside but we make sure on Halloween night that we keep him inside. Im not sure if the stories are true about people stealing black cats at Halloween, but we are not taking any chances!

I have two solid black cats, one of which was abandoned at my vets office as a kitten with both hind legs broken. What made it all the sadder was the legs had been broken at different time, as the right one had already begun to set. People are just plain silly to attribute bad luck to a color. Both of mine are wonderful loving animals. However, I did notice that in areas where "questionable religious beliefs" are practiced, black cats tend to "disappear" around this time of year, so I've always kept mine inside.